The present invention relates to stackable chairs and, more particularly, to stackable chairs having a back portion that may flex to improve the comfort of the occupant.
Chairs for extended seating applications, such as banquet halls and conference rooms, are preferably comfortable, durable, and either stackable or nestable for storage purposes. Traditional stackable banquet chairs include a pair of inverted-U-shaped leg members attached to opposite sides of a generally horizontal seat. A generally L-shaped back support frame interconnects with the leg members and extends upwardly from the rear of the seat to support a back cushion. This type of chair may be stacked by placing the inverted-U-shaped leg members of one chair over the top of the leg members of another chair, such that the seat of the upper chair is supported just above the seat of the lower chair.
Numerous attempts have been made to improve the comfort level of chair occupants. For example, there have been various attempts at providing stackable chairs with flexible backs. That is, there have been designs that allow the back support portion of the chair to flex with respect to the seat cushion, thereby allowing an occupant to recline. However, such efforts have often led to complicated mechanisms that would be expensive to manufacture, or less comfortable chairs, for example chairs in which only part of the back support flexes.
As can be seen, there is a need for a simple, comfortable, and reliable chair design that may have a flexible back member and may be stackable for storage.